Guildhall Walk health care services to remain open until 2017

The services provided by the healthcare centre on Guildhall Walk are popular with residents, students and visitors

Portsmouth’s much-loved healthcare centre on Guildhall Walk is set to stay open for another year, thanks to people power.
The current centre runs two popular services – a GP practice and walk-in provision, serving the city centre, students, visitors and the homeless.
The local clinical commissioning group decided a number of changes to the service in March following a period of public consultation. Thousands had their say and helped water down health decision-makers plans.
Cllr Stephen Morgan, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group and ward councillor for Charles Dickens where the centre is based, led a campaign to help protect the services in the city centre.
A petition attracted over 1,000 signatories and fed into the formal consultation by the CCG. The campaign was backed by local businesses and gained celebrity support.
Cllr Morgan said:“I am pleased health decision-makers are listening to our concerns and that the CCG is in talks to keep the surgery and the walk-in centre open for current patients until next March. At a time when efforts are being made to improve access to health services this is common sense. I’m also assured there are plans to give more powers to pharmacies so that they can treat a wider range of illnesses and injuries and serve more people. This should help fill any gap in the loss of essential services in the city centre”.For more information about Portsmouth Labour’s campaign to protect health care services in the city visit: www.stephenjmorgan.org